Improvement in method of and apparatus for extinguishing fires



,GRAHAM Fans, 1

WQLGRAHAM" Dem., A Methodof and Apparatus; forl Extinguishing-Firas.

No.' 205,942.-r

msms:

:mi l@ n n x. Il am y, mit

wir. A. GRAHAM, OF'LEXINGTON, VIRGINIA, lARCHIBALD GRAHAM vADMINIS'llRfATOR.

i :IMPROVEMENT INVMETHODOP VAND APPARATUS For EXnNGulsHlNG FIRES? specification farming maturata eis Patent manana/12, antenna', 9, 1ere; @Putman inea v -December 27, 1851. Y,

' vBe it known that I, WILLIAMA'. GRAHAM, of Lexington, inthe county of `Rockbridge and tate of Virginia, have made a new invention or discovery, by the application ofwvhich carbonic-acid gas, either alone or condensed in Water or other fluid, or water highly impreg nated or charged with the gas, With-the use of suitable apparatus, becomes a new agent for the useful purpose of extinguishing de-v structive fires, such as houses, ships, boats, railroad cars, and other combustible property; and that the following is a full, el ear, and exact description thereof.

This invention has for its object the extinguishing of fires in a more expeditious and effectual manner than has been attained by means heretofore used; and it consists in the process or method of extinguishing fires by means of a streaml or j et of mingled Carbonia acid gas and Water; in combining` the gas with water under pressure, so that the elastic force of the gas will eject the mixture Witha-pressure and force sufficient to enable the operator to stand at a distance and direct the stream upon the fire; in so improving the quality of the extinguishing mixture or fluid that a suiiicientA quantity for service can be stored in a portable shell or case; in combining the improved mixture with a suitable apparatus to make it ecient'in its application to the extinguishment of fires, which apparatus may be stationary, mounted on Wheels, orbe made small and portable; in providing a stationary reservoir or tank with fixed pipes leading through the building; and the application or use oI earbonisaeid gas for extinguishing res under is a longitudinal sect-ion. Fig. 2 is aside elevation cfa modilied forni, and Fig. 23 is a seo. tion of a discharging-nozzle;

"LLLW t eral, 'or a bundle ofhose-tubes.

B, couplings, providedl with stop cocks or valvesD; C,v interior tubes; E, metal tubes;

forattaching.; the hose; F, iiexible hose; G,

hose; m, lcontracted'dischargingorifice, andO fountaintube. Thefonntain A, as shown, isa

strong cylindrical copper vessel, with heini` spherical extremities, and is tinned on the inside; and it is provided with a coupling, B,

at? each end, with stop-cocks'so that either end or both ends may be used, or it' may be made so that it maybe used with one, sev- The interiortubes are arranged so thatthe main body 'of the Water or mixture, when in use, may be discharged from either end, and also to dropv down at their udsupported ends e when the fountain is used on its side, so that the disdischarge will continue until the fountain is nearly exhausted. The hose F is made of strong flexible material and of any desired length;V I The nozzlev Hhas itsv interior made tapering and smooth, and its discharge-openingm is quite small, one twentieth of an inchv being sufficient for an eighteen or twenty galn L lon-reservoir.v For charging the/reservoir shown,.the gas is geneiated in a tub somewhat resembling a churn, in which diluted sulphnric or muriatic acid is placed. On this is luted a small vessel having a stirrer, in which is placed marble powder or dust, or some other carbonate, which is made to pass through the bottom and to gradually fall into' the diluted acid, thus generating or liberating carbonio-acid gas. The gas thus generated is conducted to a gasometer, which is an openmouthed cylinder inverted, set in Water, and suspended by a pulley. The gas is taken from the gasometer, and by a condensing-pump is forced into the fountain or reservoir, which has been previously nearly filled with Water,

vuntil the desired pressure is obtained, which Y' will depend on the strength of the fountain. From five or six to twelve volumes of gas for one of Water will, in a strong vessel, give sufieient pressure. IThe fountains .thus charged can be kept for an indefinite lengt-h of time, and after remaining charged for some time they will receive au additional charge of gas. When detached the 'fountain is ready for use Aindicates thefountainor extinguisher;l

2 i .leonesain any emergency'as an extinguisher. Its

discharge is regulated and controlled by other arrangements may be resorted to by which the same end may be obtained.`

Besides this portable apparat-us,` there are Y other ways or methods by which my invention or discovery may be carried into useful .operation. Several fountains may be arranged I' soias to throw their contents into one conduit- `pipe.f "Charged fountains may be mounted on wheels similar to those of common frefengines. To these maybe attached a hose-pipe of a'suit ablelength tocarry the extinguishing-iiuid to fthe interionpfa building or to any elevator,

v ',and there'rnay be a shorter hose-tube and nozyzle attached for throwing the mixture upon the *a outside ofthe building or in any other direction.

Another mode is to have large permanent or xed reservoirs, with which gas tubes or pipes of any length may be connected, as the extinguishing-fluid may, by its elasticity, be conveyed to any necessary distance by having the hose-tubes or gas-pipes passing by or through .each house connected with exible dischargepipes. The fluid, when liberated from the great fountain, can be applied at any moment and in any' direction. 'FI/rigextignguishinggiires, time isdn ovney; tiingmis ,lifc..4 Carbonicacid gas is heavier than air, vand when combined with water lthe mixture has a gravity finely adapted for passing through the air, even when discharged from a fountain lsmall in size, and by the elasticity of the gas it is projected with force and efficiency to a distance, and with a velocity approaching uniformity, and striking the fire or flame with energy and elasticity, the fire or iiame is extinguished. The water serves the double purpose of conveying the gas and reducing the temperature. so as to prevent rekindling. The chemical agentsor substances which may be employed in generating carbonio-acid gas are numer ous, and substances furnishing sulphuric and muriatic acids abound. Theapphcatlon of carbonic-acid gas to the purposes stated gives a new and powerfulagent, which may always d beat hand for any emergency in the upper storyof 'a house', nor the deck of steamboats, y

ships, railroad-cars, Sco.v Ithas a self-moving power or energy, which, by the elasticity and expansion (when the stop-'cock is turned)k of `thecondensed or generating gas, passes rap-y idly along the hose, whereby a new and use-v ful agent for extinguishing fires is brought into active operation and use". By dissolving salt'with the water eongelation may be retarded or prevented;

' I do Ynot claim to` have discovered 'a new element in nature, nor do .I claim to have discovered the abstract principle that carbonioacid gas will not keep upeombustiou.

XVhat I claim as new, anddesireI to secure by Letters Patent, is- 1. c The method or process of extinguishing res by Vmeans of a properly-directed streamof lmingled carbonic-acid gas and water pro-- jectedby the pressure or expansive force of the mingled mass from which the 'streamis derived. l.

2. The combination of a strong vessel for containing the mixture of carbonio-acid. gas

and water underA pressure with a'- stop-cock, flexible hose-tube, and a nozzle, substantially as 'and for the purpose specified.

3. Thecombination of fixed pipes or tubes,

arranged by or through a building, with a stationary or fixed fountain or tank, for forcing mingled 'carbonio-acid gas and water, by its own elasticity, through such pipes, substantially as specified. l f

4. An improved method of extinguishing fires, consisting, first, in condensing carbonicacid gas by artificialpressure or in genera-- 

